Morning journal and courier., 1887-04-12

Big Band of Plunderers Who Have Been Robbing the Pennsylvania Road by the WhoIesala.

A Big Band of Plunderers Who Have Been Robbing the Pennsylvania Road by the Wholesale.
 PtTTsBURe, April 11.-In the history of railroading no greater combination of sys- tematic peculation has been discovered and no more criminal combination run from cover than discovered today on the Pittsburg, Cincinnati & St. Louis division of the Penn sylvania company. An official of the con- pany in this city acknowledged this evening that for two years the company's loses from these thieves have averaged ,$400 per day: At late hour this evening ifty-six conduc- ductors, fagmen and brakemen had been locked up in the County jail. Twenty eight huge trunks of the finest quality well filled, together with over ton of loose plunder, have been placed in Detective Gilkeson's office and carefully labelled. The trunks will be opened and their contents examined to- morrow. There was but little work done in the Panhandle yard in this city to-day and at one time twenty-fout deserted trains were piled together on the sidings. Late in the day, however, with the help of the yardmen the trains were
 
 and rooms for p1under the detectives in sev- eral cases found the friends of the incer- ated engaged in destroying all posi- ble evidences of guilt. The scenes at the county jail when the wives and friends called to see those dear to them beggars description. Orders had been issued that no one could see ths prisoners. At later hour the order was re- scinded and the immediate friends of the prisoners were admitted. The waiting room was crowded with women. When finally ad- mitted to the cage and as they walked up to the strong ironwork that shut the prison CTS out from the world, the sobs of the wo- men increased. Some of the men broke down too. The exclamation invariably put was "Oh! 1 know you are not guilty; it's mistake and you will be released soon." The prisoners invariably endeavored to console their relatives by declaring that they were not guilty of the charges made against them. Special officers arrived from Dennison, O., this evening having in charge J. R. Dunlap and c. R. Altman. Dunlap was looked upon by the officers the rinelead- and his arrest of special importance. Dunlap while on his way to this city made
 
 been going on for months, that he could give the names of all implicated on the Pitts burg division but was afraid to do so. His language was ''I would give you the names officers, but great God they would kill me-" Dunlap stated that great quantity of the goods had been pawned in Pittsburg. Dunlap said that there was no organization among the robbers and no regular plan of work, each crew working by itself. There were a num- Der of principals" who reaped large benefits by giving pointers to less prominent thieves as to cars containing the more desirable booty. Dunlap expressed himself as willing to tell if he could be sure no harm would come to him. When searched numel ous valuable articles were found on his person.
 Probably the most important arrest of the day was made this afternoon. James Young, of Alleghany, called at the jail office and en- quired for one of the prisoners; he was promptly arrested. He told detective that he was not railroader and called on busi- ness. He is the possessor of valuable in- formation, however, and has already given sufficient pointers to identify thirteen entire crews with the thefts.